CyberWire Daily

AI as Tradecraft: How Threat Actors Are Operationalizing AI [Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast]

In this episode of the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, host⁠ ⁠⁠Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Greg Schlomer and Vlad H. to discuss new research on Jasper Sleet, a North Korean–aligned threat actor incorporating AI into active operations.  The conversation examines how AI is being integrated across the attack lifecycle — from highly tailored phishing lures and fabricated job applicant personas to accelerating malware development and refining operational workflows. Rather than treating AI as a novelty, Jasper Sleet is using it to increase speed, scale, and adaptability while reducing many of the friction points that once slowed campaigns.  They also explore what this shift means for defenders. As AI compresses iteration cycles and lowers barriers to entry, traditional attribution signals evolve, influence operations become more convincing, and defensive teams must tighten the loop between intelligence, detection, and response. This is less about experimentation and more about the operationalization of AI as part of modern tradecraft.  In this episode you’ll learn:       How AI is changing the speed at which cyber operations evolve  Why jailbreaking AI models is often trivial for motivated adversaries   The strategic implications of AI leveling the playing field between threat actors  Some questions we ask:      Is there resistance among experienced malware authors to adopting AI?  Are we seeing fully AI-written malware in the wild?  What stands out about Jasper Sleet’s use of AI?    Resources:   View Greg Schloemer on LinkedIn   View Sherrod DeGrippo on LinkedIn     Related Microsoft Podcasts:                    Afternoon Cyber Tea with Ann Johnson  The BlueHat Podcast  Uncovering Hidden Risks      Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts   Get the latest threat intelligence insights and guidance at Microsoft Security Insider    The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast is produced by Microsoft, Hangar Studios and distributed as part of N2K media network.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New command amid mounting cyber risks.

Rudd takes the helm at NSA and Cyber Command. A watchdog probes alleged Social Security data mishandling. Patch Tuesday lands. Governments brace for cyber fallout from Iran. BeatBanker spreads via a fake Starlink app. InstallFix targets developers. ZombieZIP hides malware in archives. And DHS reassigns CBP officials in a FOIA secrecy dispute. Ben Yelin unpacks Anthropic’s lawsuit against the Pentagon. AI eyewear leads to awkward exposures. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Our guest today is Ben Yelin from University of Maryland Center for Cyber Health and Hazard Strategies and Caveat cohost talking about Anthropic suing the Pentagon. You can read more on the topic here.  Selected Reading Senate approves Joshua Rudd as dual-hat leader of Cyber Command, NSA (POLITICO) Whistleblower claims ex-DOGE member says he took Social Security data to new job (Washington Post) Microsoft Patches 83 Vulnerabilities (SecurityWeek) Adobe Patches 80 Vulnerabilities Across Eight Products (SecurityWeek) Fortinet, Ivanti, Intel Patch High-Severity Vulnerabilities (SecurityWeek) ICS Patch Tuesday: Vulnerabilities Fixed by Siemens, Schneider, Moxa, Mitsubishi Electric (SecurityWeek) Iran war will bring wave of 'low-level cyber activity,' says intelligence group (StateScoop) New BeatBanker Android malware poses as Starlink app to hijack devices (Bleeping Computer) Fake Claude Code install guides push infostealers in InstallFix attacks (Bleeping Computer) New 'Zombie ZIP' technique lets malware slip past security tools (Bleeping Computer) DHS Ousts CBP Privacy Officers Who Questioned ‘Illegal’ Orders (WIRED) Meta sued over AI smart glasses' privacy concerns, after workers reviewed nudity, sex, and other footage (TechCrunch) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry’s most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Signals, scams, and a Salesforce snatch.

Russian hackers target Signal and WhatsApp. Permit scammers impersonate local officials. Anthropic sues over a Pentagon blacklist. The White House moves to restore fraud victims. ShinyHunters target Salesforce data. Ericsson reports a breach. macOS users face ClickFix malware. AWS credentials are phished. And CISA warns of an exploited Ivanti flaw. Our guest is Brian Baskin, Threat Researcher at Sublime Security, discussing tax season employee impersonation scams. Who fact-checks the fact-checkers?  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Our guest today is Brian Baskin, Threat Researcher at Sublime Security, discussing how tax season employee impersonation scams are conducted and what to look out for as we prepare our returns. Selected Reading Russia targets Signal and WhatsApp accounts in cyber campaign (AIVD) FBI warns of phishing attacks impersonating US city, county officials (Bleeping Computer) Anthropic sues Trump administration over Pentagon blacklist (CNBC) White House floats Victims Restoration Program for millions affected by cyber fraud (The Record) CybercrimeHundreds of Salesforce Customers Allegedly Targeted in New Data Theft Campaign (SecurityWeek) Ericsson US discloses data breach after service provider hack (Bleeping Computer) Fake CleanMyMac Site Uses ClickFix Trick to Install SHub Stealer on macOS (Hackread) Behind the console: Active phishing campaign targeting AWS console credentials (Datadog Security Labs) CISA: Recently patched Ivanti EPM flaw now actively exploited (Bleeping Computer) AI fake-news detectors may look accurate but fail in real use, study finds (Tech Xplore) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.  Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry’s most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What role does higher education play in cyber? [CISOP]

Show Notes: Cybersecurity has continued to grow and mature as a field over the past decade which has given rise to numerous degree pathways across dozens of collegiate institutions; however, the value of these degrees has continued to be a topic of debate. In this episode of CISO Perspectives, host ⁠Kim Jones⁠ sits down with Dr. Lara Ferry, the Vice President of Research at Arizona State University, to explore higher education's role in cyber. Throughout the conversation, Lara and Kim will discuss the challenges facing degree programs, the disconnects between organizations and institutions, and how the gap can be better addressed. Want more CISO Perspectives?: Check out a companion ⁠⁠blog post⁠⁠ by our very own Ethan Cook, where he breaks down key insights, shares behind-the-scenes context, and highlights research that complements this episode. It’s the perfect follow-up if you’re curious about the cyber talent crunch and how we can reshape the ecosystem for future professionals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Tehran to the Apple II.

Israel claims a strike on Iran’s cyber warfare headquarters. The Trump administration releases a new national cyber strategy.  DHS shakes up its IT and cybersecurity leadership. Velvet Tempest uses ClickFix to drop loaders and RATs. Researchers uncover a Linux cryptocurrency clipboard hijacker. The DOJ brings a Ghanaian romance scammer to justice. Online advertising enables government tracking. Monday business breakdown. Our guest is Jon France, CISO from ISC2, sharing some insights and findings from their 2025 ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. An Apple II app gets audited by AI.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our daily intelligence roundup, Daily Briefing, and you’ll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow CyberWire Daily on LinkedIn. CyberWire Guest Joining us today is Jon France, CISO from ISC2, sharing some insights and findings from their 2025 ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. For further detail, you can also check out ISC2’s just released Women in Cybersecurity report. Selected Reading Iranian cyber warfare HQ allegedly hit by Israel | brief (SC Media) Iran internet blackout reaches 6th day as rights groups call for end to digital shutdown (The Record) The long-awaited Trump cyber strategy has arrived (CyberScoop) DHS CISO, deputy CISO exit amid reported IT leadership overhaul (FedScoop) Termite ransomware breaches linked to ClickFix CastleRAT attacks (Bleeping Computer) ClipXDaemon: Autonomous X11 Clipboard Hijacker Delivered Via Bincrypter-Based Loader (Cyble) Ghanaian Pleads Guilty to Role in $100m Romance Scam (Infosecurity Magazine) The Government Uses Targeted Advertising to Track Your Location. Here's What We Need to Do. (Electronic Frontier Foundation) Zurich Insurance Group intends to acquire UK cyber insurer Beazley for approximately $11 billion. (N2K Pro Business Briefing) Microsoft Azure CTO says Claude found vulns in Apple II code (The Register) Share your feedback. What do you think about CyberWire Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us continue to improve our show.   Want to hear your company in the show? N2K CyberWire helps you reach the industry’s most influential leaders and operators, while building visibility, authority, and connectivity across the cybersecurity community. Learn more at sponsor.thecyberwire.com. The CyberWire is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices